At 15:00 on Friday 18th March, Patterdale MRT was called by Cumbria Police to assist a 24 year old man from London who had developed chest pains whilst climbing Helvellyn. Given the nature of the report and the location on Swirral Edge, assistance was requested from the Great North Air Ambulance and an HM Coastguard helicopter from Caernarfon.

As Helvellyn is only 5 minutes flying time from their base in Langwathy, the GNAA helicopter was first on scene, but was unable to land at the casualty site and had to put down in Red Tarn basin. While MRT members ascended from Brown Cove, the GNAA crew climbed up the other side of the fell and were able to assess the casualty.

The Coastguard helicopter arrived on scene and winched the casualty into their aircraft before transferring him back down to the Air Ambulance for transport on to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle. 13 members of Patterdale MRT attended the incident. The Team would like to thank both the Great North Air Ambulance and HM Coastguard for their assistance.

On Sunday 13/02/22 at 16:30hrs the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called with regard to a walker on Striding Edge who was struggling with cramp and could not go on. The team leader made phone contact and the casualty and his friend were advised to retrace their step back to safer ground.

The casualty had cramp due to fatigue, combined with wet and cold weather. Out of precaution due to the location the team went on the fell to walk towards the pair. The casualty and his friend started to warm themselves once they began to move again. They managed to get back to the start of Striding Edge and then met the team on their way down into Grisedale and were escorted safely back down.

The rescue lasted 2.5hrs and involved 15 team members.

At 20.25 hrs on Saturday 23rd October Cumbria Police contacted Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team with a report of two walkers who were wild camping near Grisedale Tarn in between Patterdale and Grasmere. Due to the weather conditions their tent had collapsed in the wind after the poles snapped.

The couple then quickly became wet and cold and requested the teams help. The duty leader decided on a limited call out after establishing there were no injuries. Under guidance, the couple began to make their way down to the valley bottom. Four team members drove up the Grisedsale valley in two Landrovers as far as they were able, they then made their way on foot to meet up with the two walkers.

The pair were taken back to the team base where they were then able to get back by road to their vehicle which was over near Ambleside. The team would like to remind anyone who is venturing on the fells to check the weather conditions and plan accordingly. The rescue lasted two hours with four members involved.

At 14.20hrs on Saturday 9th October Patterdale Mountain Rescue was called by Cumbria Police to reports of a lady in her seventies who had been walking with friends on Watermillock Common above Swineside Knott. She had become exhausted, fallen numerous times and was unable to continue.

The team responded and members made their way to the scene from Dowthwaite Head where they left the vehicles to make their way on foot to the casualty site. The woman was assessed by the team docter and then packaged into a stretcher before being carried off the hill back to the team Land Rovers. She was conveyed to the rescue base in Patterdale where she was reunited with her friends, who drove her back to their holiday cottage.

The rescue was carried out by nine team members and took 4 hours to complete.

On Saturday 25th September, Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was alerted by Cumbria Police to a woman who was having a suspected asthma attack on the path up towards Boredale Hause. The lady, who was walking with friends, was provided with immediate first aid before an ambulance crew arrived.

The ambulance crew were able to administer further treatment and when the team arrived, she was transferred to the ambulance for further assessments.

At about 17:00 on Tuesday 7th September Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was tasked by Cumbria Police to assist a 73 year old woman who had developed heat exhaustion while out walking with her family on Gowbarrow Fell above Ullswater. She had collapsed and was unable to continue.

Team members responded to the callout, taking 3 team vehicles to Aira Force car park before ascending on foot to the woman’s location. She was assessed by Team doctors who set up an intravenous drip to treat her dehydration and lower her temperature. Following treatment she was transported by stretched back to the car park and a waiting ambulance.

The rescue took 2 hours and involved 19 unpaid, volunteer team members.

On Tuesday 17/03/21 at 1900hrs Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team had just finished a call out on Scandale pass and was returning to base when they were flagged down by a member of the public. A woman in a group of tourists was suffering from a suspected panic attack and was struggling to breath.

She was given initial first aid and the team doctor arrived on scene a short while later. The patient’s breathing was stabilised and there were no serious health issues identified. Once the patient was feeling a lot better she went on her way with her friend to try and find a camping spot for the night.

On Tuesday 10/08/21 at around 1500hrs the Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out regarding a 60 year old man who had fainted on a footpath at Gowbarrow near Aira Force. The man had been walking the Ullswater way and was nearing the end when he had a fainting episode.

11 team members responded and the casualty was treated at the scene by the team doctor and paramedic. The man was then stretchered to the Aira Force car park and his family then took him to hospital for a check-up. The rescue lasted 2 hours.

The Team’s 2021 incident attendance register records this callout as “Cramp on Helvellyn”. It was recorded as a limited callout. No further public press-release wording survives in the archive.

On Friday 06/08/21 at around 13:30hrs Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team was called out by the Northwest Ambulance Service to assist with a male who had been fitting. The man had been walking up Aira Force with his partner when he suffered a suspected epileptic fit.

A NWAS fast response paramedic and a Patterdale Team member arrived first on the scene and commenced first aid. Once the casualty was stabilised he was transferred to a stretcher and evacuated to a team Land Rover. The casualty was then driven to the main road where a NWAS ambulance took him to hospital. The rescue lasted for 2 hours and involved 13 team members